Good morning, folks. I feel slightly inadequate this morning because this is an incredible set
of verses that have an enormous amount of truth in them. And as I said, when we spoke at the
1 John upstairs, I said you could spend a week off Bible teaching meetings and you probably
wouldn't get through the section that we have. And I think it's equally can be said of the verses
that we have before us today. There is so much in the verses that we have today that we are just
going to scratch the surface ever so slightly and hopefully we can just see something of God's
glory in there. Christmas is undoubtedly a wonderful time of year.
You know, over the last, we had a weekend in Vienna and over the last few weeks we've been in and
around Edinburgh and we've seen the twinkling lights and the Christmas markets and the Christmas
jumpers and you think of all the festive goodies that you've eaten, the lively parties that you
might have been to and the joy of exchanging presents. Have you done that already or have
you still to do that? These things all contribute towards the magic of Christmas. And yet, amidst
all that excitement and activity, it's easy to lose sight of the slightly deeper meaning and the
significance of Christmas. Last week, the children offered us that scene in the nativity sketch that
they put on, a poignant reminder that at the heart of Christmas, there is a baby named Jesus.
You know, he is the centre of it all. And as we were imagining in that sketch, if Christmas was a
photograph, then rather than being tucked at the back somewhere in a corner, Jesus is and should be
the front and centre. I don't think it's a new idea to anybody here today. You know, even the simplest
children's Christmas carols that we sing remind us that Jesus came into this world as a baby.
And as we sing the more traditional carols, I think there's further truth that we find that help us just
to consider his birth and what it means for the Son of God to be found as a baby in a manger.
I was smiling as we sung that first song there. I hadn't known the words of the hymns that we're going
to sing this morning. But as we sung through that, I thought that is our message this morning. It is
exactly what is found in these five verses. And not that you might be able to remember that at the
minute, but if you go home and you Google the words of that first hymn there, you'll just be,
you'll smile. You'll get a bit excited. I was sitting on the bench there and I'm quite excited because
even in the breaking of bread that we had upstairs first, the section that Ian read and the way that
this ties together is just incredible. But when you think of the Christmas story, what do you see?
Is it just a serene image of Jesus lying in a manger, surrounded by shepherds and wise men and animals?
You know, that classic, not like Peter's picture with the mistakes, but that classic scene,
which is beautiful and heartwarming. Is that the full story? Is that all that we consider?
Well, John invites us to just look at Christmas in a wider context. I know we haven't necessarily read
it in these four, five verses, but John invites us to look beyond the message and to reflect on what
arguably is the most extraordinary event in human history. In that first verse that we read in verse 14,
we encounter a profound truth that can transform our understanding of Christmas.
And as I've said, as we explore these verses, there is so much in there that we could speak for a week,
but I promise I won't keep you here until the Christmas Eve service on the 24th. John 1.14 starts
like this. It says,
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. This, as I said, is a statement that just
encapsulates the very heart of Christmas. Perhaps you've even seen those words on a card.
Not that many of us send that many cards anymore on a mantelpiece. And again,
we don't have the abundance of mantelpieces anymore, or you've sung them in a carol. Have you really
considered what these words mean? Well, I think this morning we're just going to spend a few minutes
just thinking about that. What does it mean for the Word to become flesh? Craig, a couple of weeks ago,
spoke to us about this. And in the opening verses, in verse 1, John identifies the Word as Jesus.
It said that he existed in the beginning, he was with God, and he was God. Now, I don't tend to be
technical this morning because I don't know any Greek or Hebrew, but we are going to think about a
couple of words this morning because there's a rich meaning in the words that are used. This word,
this word, the word, and you've probably heard this. I'm not going to tell you something that you
haven't heard before, but most of you heard that word logos, which is word, is the word.
That's the Greek word. To a Greek audience, it was this principle of divine reasoning or creative order.
You know, something to the Greeks that was abstract and profound, you know, something that existed
beyond the created world. And to a Jewish audience, it would symbolise God's creative power. You know,
recall Genesis chapter 1, where God spoke creation into being. So for the world at that time, both for
the Jews and the Greeks, this title referred to God as an eternal creator who existed outside of time
and space and matter. And also that he is the reason for the cosmic order, just the things that
govern the created world. Well, John takes both of these perspectives and he makes this astonishing claim
that this eternal divine word, the creator of all things became flesh.
You know, Jesus,
the eternal one, took on a human body and entered the world that he made.
He wasn't a distant God,
watching from afar. Instead, he becomes one of us, fully divine and yet fully man.
And I know over the years that we have thought about this when, in fact, even just that song that we sang
with the children when we were going through John previously, when we talked about God,
the Lord, he has been fully man and fully God.
And you might ask yourself at Christmas time, why did he do this?
Why would the eternal God
who
existed before time,
who created all things,
why would he
come
in human flesh
and be born as a baby in a manger?
Why would you do that?
Why would you,
if you think of God,
mighty and majestic
and full of
power,
why would you come
and
take on human flesh
and be found
in a manger?
Well, John tells us that.
It is to reveal God's glory.
And I think it's an incredible thing, you know,
just to reveal God's glory
and not only that,
but to fulfill
his redemptive plan
for
humanity.
John writes,
he dwelt
among us.
This is a phrase
that,
again,
both to the
audience of the day
would remember
that that dwelling,
he made his dwelling among us,
would be
a
throwback
to what happened
with the nation of Israel
as they journeyed
through the wilderness
to the promised land.
The Greek word for this,
dwelling,
or dwelt among us,
is that he pitched his tent
or he tabernacled
amongst us.
And as soon as I say that word,
your mind goes back
to the Old Testament
and you see
the tabernacle there
in the wilderness.
You know,
we're transported
to that place
where God's presence
among his people
was in that
structure of
wood and fabric.
you know,
a sacred place
that the national Israel,
that went with
the national Israel
as they journeyed
through that land.
But,
God's presence
is no longer
confined
to a structure
of wood
and fabric
or stone,
you know,
when that was made
into a stone temple.
Instead,
when we come to
this little section here,
we find that
he lives amongst us
in the most
intimate way.
You know,
and that just means
the closeness of God.
We often say this,
that God came near.
But do we really appreciate
how near
God came to us?
Not only did he take on
human flesh,
but he lived amongst us
and
he experienced
everything that we experienced.
He experienced joy
and sorrow,
everything that,
weariness,
you know,
he walked alongside
as one of us.
You know,
this is the wonder
of the incarnation.
Just that,
what we mean by that
is that the eternal
son of God,
the one who created
all things,
would come
into this world,
not as a distant observer,
but as an active
participant.
Now,
consider this,
without a body,
it's more difficult
for us to
relate to God.
It's why the nation
of Israel
and the Old Testament
went astray
so often.
Because their view
of God
and the way
that they're related
to him
is different
to the way
that we see him
now.
You know,
our minds
can only really
think in the
frame of reference
of created things.
What we can touch,
what we see,
what we hear,
what we can smell.
By becoming
human,
Jesus
closes that
gap,
from being
that divine,
eternal spirit
to being something
that we can,
as we have sung,
something that we can
hold in our hands.
And he lived
a perfect life
in that body.
And he offered
that life
as a sacrifice
so that we might
be free
from the judgment
deserved
by our rebellion
against God.
You know,
that's why we,
that's why we
celebrate communion.
salvation.
The bread
and the wine
reminds us
of his body
that is given
for us
and the blood
that is shed
for our salvation.
Jesus took on flesh
so that he could
give that body up
for our redemption.
He had to take
on flesh
to be able
to do that.
And that is just
the most incredible
when you start
to really look
in that
and see it
and just
appreciate
what that means.
I mean,
I got excited
when I was studying
just,
you know,
this first 18 verses
as we've been going
through that
the last few weeks.
There is so much
truth in that.
In fact,
the whole Bible,
you find threads
that come from
the first chapter
here in John
that just run
through the whole Bible.
And that's why
at Christmas time,
we,
it doesn't matter
where you go
in the Bible,
you can find
a thread
that will link us
to Christmas.
But there's no other
section that I'd rather
speak about this morning
than just this
little section here.
You know,
a baby
that was born
in Bethlehem
that was destined
to grow up
and carry the weight
of sin,
of the world's sin
to the cross.
You know,
as he journeys
from that manger
to the cross,
it just underscores
the profound love
and God's commitment
to redeem
his people.
Well,
John goes on
to say,
and we have seen
his glory.
But what does
glory mean
in this context?
You know,
in the Old Testament,
God's glory
was often displayed
in incredible,
awe-inspiring ways.
You know,
you think about
the burning bush
or you think about
the thunderous display
with the cloud
and fire
on the Mount Sinai
with Moses.
Or the radiance.
We've thought about
the tabernacle already,
but off that radiance
that existed within.
In fact,
there was a curtain
that was hung there
because God's glory
was so radiant
that those who,
the curtain was there
to shield people
from that,
otherwise they would
not have survived.
The glory is the
manifestation
that is shown to us
in his majesty
and his power
and holiness
in the Old Testament.
In fact,
when we think about
Moses,
and I was reading
this recently,
when Moses encounters
God's glory,
when he comes down
that mountain,
his face,
and he didn't even
have the full revelation
of God's glory,
he only got a glimpse
of the back
as it passed through
as he was hidden
in that rock
and yet his face
shone so bright
that men were afraid.
In fact,
it tells us in the Old Testament
that Moses had to
veil his face
because it shone
that bright.
This is probably
one of the hardest words
to sometimes get
a head around.
What does the word
glory mean?
Well,
I had a quick look
in the dictionary
and there is so many
things that we can
think about here
but,
and again,
this is a word
that,
you know,
I struggle with English,
right,
but doxa,
which is the word
where we get doxology
and doxology
is just the liturgical
praise of God
but the doxa,
that is the Greek word
for glory
and you see in here
that it covers things
like the abundance
or the wealth
or the treasure
and if somebody
has that
then there is
honour
that is given
to them.
We see that
in the second point
there around
the dignity
and the honour
that is given
to somebody
as,
who we would like
to glorify.
You see there
that it refers
to the splendour
and the brightness
and the majesty
as we've seen
and we,
again,
just pull your mind
back to that
image in the temple
where that radiance
shone so brightly.
And then we come
to point four
in here
and there's
more than this,
it's just a little clip
that I took there
but we think about
the glorious moral attributes
and the infinite
perfections
of God.
It says this,
that Jesus is the brightness
of the Father's glory
in Hebrews chapter one.
You know,
these are just
the attributes
of someone
that invokes praise.
It's the manifestation
of these things
that we've just
thought about.
And sometimes we,
I mean,
I don't really
follow football
but I'm sure
there are some
football fans in here
and you might be called
a glory hunter.
Sometimes we speak
of something
in all its glory
and all its revealed
and everything
that is revealed
about that thing.
You see the full picture.
It's just a manifestation
of all of the
attributes of God.
But when we come
to
the Lord Jesus,
it's not necessarily
speaking about
these awe-inspiring,
majestic,
mighty
revelation
of God's glory.
It takes on
a much more personal,
profound dimension.
You know,
Jesus,
even though
he is majestic,
even though
he is all-powerful
as we see
when he calms
the wind and the waves,
what Jesus
reveals to us
about God
is his character
and his nature.
We go on to read
in our verses
that he was full
of grace and truth
and the witness,
the disciples
got to witness
his first hand
in his teachings,
in his miracles,
in his compassion,
the way that he
dealt with
people,
got to witness
it in his death
and his resurrection.
And each of these
scenes that we see,
especially in the Gospels,
just give us
a glimpse
of the nature
of God.
John describes
the glory
as the glory
of the only one,
of the one and only
son who came
from the Father.
You know,
Jesus is unique
in the fact
that he is
God's eternal
son,
fully divine
and fully man.
And through his life
he shows us
exactly what he's like.
I was thinking
about that verse
just that was
quoted in the
little dictionary
extract in
Hebrews chapter 1
that says that
the son is the
radiance of the
glory,
of God's glory
and the exact
representation
of his being.
So when we see
Jesus,
everything that we
see about his
being
has just given
us a glimpse
of God's glory.
And remember,
just to try and
summarise that,
the one who was
eternal in spirit
and in a way
unrelatable
takes on
a human body
to become
relatable,
to show us
what God
is like.
And in everything
that you read
in the whole
of the Bible
that talks about
the Lord Jesus,
it just gives us
a glimpse
of who he is
and it gives us
a glimpse
of the glory
of God.
You know,
there are many
things that
show us
God's glory
and I think
the word is
used over
400 times.
It's actually
used a lot
more than that
but 400 times
roughly and
there's some
words that
would be very
closely linked
but some of
these will
come to mind
and I encourage
you over your
lunch today
or over the
next few days
just recall
some of these
because you'll
just get excited
when you start
to see
just this thread
that goes
through the
whole of
scripture.
Psalm 19
verse 1
I'm sure
I don't really
need to ask
anybody to
see it
but the heavens
declare the
glory of God
and the sky
proclaims his
handiwork.
You come to
Isaiah chapter 6
verse 3
and it says
this
holy,
holy is the
Lord Almighty
the whole earth
is full of
his glory.
You come to
Romans chapter 1
and it says
this
for what can be
known about God
is plain to them
because God
has shown it to
them.
For his
invisible
attributes
namely his
eternal power
and divine
nature has
been clearly
perceived ever
since the
creation of
the world
and the things
that have been
made.
So we see it
in creation
but we see it
in man.
We see it in
you and I.
Man was formed
as the highest
creatorial display
of God's glory
and in the
Bible it tells us
that man is the
glory of God.
God's glory of God
but it also
tells us in
Romans chapter 3
verse 23
that we've fallen
short of that
glory and we
aren't the
people who God
created us to
be.
When Jesus
comes in we see
that that glory
is re-established
and for all of
us who believe
in him
and we've been
thinking about
this last week
in the section
that Graham
covered
to all that
believe in
his name
who received
him
who believe
in his name
he gave the
right to
become the
children of
God
and in a
sense
a little bit
of that glory
has been
restored.
In fact
even just in
the gathering
today
it tells us
in scripture
that the glory
of God
is on display
because the
way that God
created us to
be
is displayed
here.
If you're a
believer
if you're a
Christian
if you're one
of God's
children
as we've
read just
in that
last verse
then we
display
God's
glory
and we
do it
in the
way that
we live
in the
ways that
we try
and emulate
the Lord
Jesus
and some
of that
has been
restored.
We're
reminded in
2 Corinthians
4 verse 6
it says
this
for God
who let
light shine
out of
darkness
has shone
in our
hearts
to give
the light
of the
knowledge
of the
glory of
God
in the
face
of
Jesus
but we
have this
treasure
in jars
of clay
to show
that the
surpassing
power belongs
to God
and not
us
and that
is just a
little bit
of God's
glory that
comes through
us
but it's
just a
faint
picture
in comparison
to what we
see in
the Lord
Jesus.
When we
see the
Lord Jesus
we see
God
his life
his actions
his words
reflect the
heart of
the Father
God
and whether
that's
through
if we
just look
at the
miracles
through the
gospels
you know
whether that's
healing the
sick or
comforting the
broken hearted
or confronting
injustice
Jesus reveals
the very
nature
of God
in a ways
that we can
understand
and that we
can relate
to.
John concludes
this verse by
saying that
Jesus is full
of grace
and truth.
These two
qualities are
at the core
of who
God is
and what
is offered
through the
Lord Jesus.
You know
grace is
God's unmerited
favour to
us.
His love
and his
mercy is
freely given
despite our
rebellion
and our
unworthiness.
You know
I've already
quoted Romans
chapter 3
verse 23
and it says
this
we've all
sinned
and we've
all fallen
short of
that glory.
None of us
could ever
earn God's
favour
through our
own efforts
and yet
through Jesus
grace is
extended as
a gift.
His
sacrificial
death on
the cross
provides the
ultimate
expression of
this.
Offering
salvation to
all who
believe and
that is
something that
we come to
sometimes just
gloss over at
Christmas time.
But again
just to
summarise
a baby was
born in a
body in
order to
die and
the only way
that we
can be
offered
salvation
is in
the death
of the
Lord Jesus.
You know
grace means
that we
don't have
to strive
to earn
God's
approval.
It's not
about what
we do
but it's
about what
Christ has
done.
There's a
quote by
Martin Luther
and it
says this
the law
says do
this and
it's never
done.
Grace
says believe
this and
everything is
already done.
We're not
going to spend
a huge amount
of time on
that verse
that it
talks about
that the
law was
given through
Moses and
grace and
truth came
through the
Lord Jesus.
We're going
to focus on
this grace
and the
truth as
beautiful
attributes of
the Lord
Jesus that
is on
display.
Truth on
the other
hand is
the ultimate
reality of
who God
is.
In a
world that
is full of
confusion and
lies and
shifting values
grace and
love.
He reveals
God's plan
for humanity
and he
reveals the
path to a
relationship
with him.
Jesus is
the embodiment
of both grace
and truth as
we see there in
the end of
verse 16.
It meets us
in our
brokenness.
You know
grace offers
us forgiveness
and hope.
And truth
grounds us
guiding us
in this
world.
And I'm
sure you
know as
we often
say when
we meet
on a
Sunday
morning that
there is so
much conflict
and confusion
and chaos
in this
world.
And yet
when we
come here
and we
think about
the truth
it is
something
that grounds
us both
in our
thoughts and
in our
thinking and
in the way
that we
live.
Truth also
just reveals
to us
God's
love and
the purpose
that he
has for
all those
who believe
in him.
And then we
come on to
the last point
here.
The father
that has
been made
known.
So what
does all
this mean
as we
approach
Christmas?
You know
before I
share some
points,
in the
New Testament
when we
read about
God it
normally
refers to
God as
a father.
it's the
reason that
the Lord
Jesus came
in the
form that
he did.
And when
you start
to realise
just the
intricacy of
the whole
story you
realise how
glorious the
message of
the gospel
is.
Jesus came
in the
form of
a son
because that's
how he
wants us
to relate
to God
as a
father.
And in
the New
Testament
that's what
we see
right the way
through.
We see
it when
the disciples
asked the
Lord Jesus
to teach
us to pray
he says
father who
art in
heaven.
Paul in
all of his
letters
when he
prays he
prays to
God as
a father.
And the
Lord Jesus
has shown
us the
relationship
that we
can have
with God
as a
father in
his life
on earth.
But what
does it
mean when
we come
to Christmas
what does
this mean
to us?
What do
we take
from this?
Well first
of all it
reminds us
that there
is far
more to
this story
than just
a baby
in a
manger.
It's a
story of
God stepping
into the
world.
to rescue
us.
The eternal
word becomes
flesh so
that we
can know
God.
So that we
can experience
his love and
that we can
be transformed
by his
grace.
Secondly it
challenges us
to see Jesus
for who he
really is.
He's not just
a figure in a
nativity scene
or a character
in a Christmas
carol.
He is the
creator and
he's come to
be the
saviour.
He's the
embodiment of
God's
glory.
And if we
recognise that
truth it
should change
how we
approach
Christmas and
it should
change how
we approach
life.
It should
change how
we live
day to
day.
And finally
it calls us
to respond.
You know if
Jesus is full
of grace and
truth,
if he is
the revelation
of the
eternal God,
if he took
on a
body and
as the
words of
that carol
would say
born that
man no
more should
die, how
should we
respond to
him?
Will we
allow his
grace to
change our
lives?
And will
we build
our lives
on the
truth that
he reveals?
You know
Christmas time
it's often
because we
take a day
or two
off but
Christmas time
is a time
for reflection
and it's a
time for
renewal.
It's an
opportunity to
rediscover
as we've been
doing over the
last three
weeks in
these 18
verses to
rediscover
the heart
of the
season.
You know to
move beyond
just a
surface level
a few
carols and
a carol
service and
a few
Bible verses
on a
Christmas card
on the
mantelpiece.
And it
allows us to
just engage
with the
profound
truths that
we see
in this
section.
You know as
we celebrate
Christmas and
all the
busyness you
know we
just had a
conversation
just before
we started
and everybody
that you
talked to and
I'm sure that
Hazel and the
team that were
on the
welcome team
this morning
when they
shook their
hand and
said how
are they
then they
probably said
I'm busy.
Well Christmas
time is a
busy time but
let's not allow
that busyness to
overshadow and
distract us from
the wonder of
what we're
celebrating.
the word
becomes flesh
God
comes near
his glory is
revealed and
it's revealed in
a gentle way
that's full of
grace and
truth.
You know
whatever you are
in your
relationship to
God this
truth invites us
to draw near.
You know if
you already
believe then
it should fill
our hearts with
gratitude and it
should shape the
way that we
live our lives
and that is a
big challenge to
us because it
is so easy to
just live as
the people out
in the street
rushing about
our daily lives
doing all the
things that on
the surface
celebrates Christmas
the giving of
presents and the
kindness and all
the other festivities
that we
enjoy.
joy.
But if you're
uncertain about
Jesus
then what I
want you to do
is to take this
season as an
opportunity to
just explore his
love towards
you and the
magnitude of
what he has
done for you.
The God of
heaven the
eternal creator
coming in the
form of
mankind
taking on a
body so that
that body could
be put on a
tree and
across so that
you and I
could be
reconciled to
God.
You know this
Christmas may
it may be a
time for us
just to reflect
on that and
to allow the
revelation of
God through
Jesus to
illuminate our
hearts and our
minds.
Let's give
thanks for this
incredible gift
and allow this
grace and truth
to change our
lives in a way
that extends
far beyond the
25th or even
to the 6th when
you take your
Christmas tree
down but the
truth that we
see in the
Lord Jesus and
the glory that
we see of God
in him let that
shape our lives
as we go into
2025.
Let us pray.
Heavenly
Father we thank
you this morning
for your word
that reminds us
of who you
are.
A God who is
full of love,
a God who
before the world
began had a
wonderful plan of
salvation that
would come together
in the death of
your son.
And so our
Father at this
time of year we
thank you for
this opportunity
just to reflect on
the real meaning
of Christmas, on
the reason that
the Lord Jesus
came into this
world.
Our Father we
thank you that
in him we see
your amazing love
displayed.
and not only
your love
Father but the
full attributes
of your glory.
Father help us
to be inspired
by our thoughts
of him this
morning.
Help us to
praise and to
worship you for
all that we see
in your lovely
son.
And our
Father as we
spend time
together with
family and
friends may it
be that we can
encourage ourselves
and that we can
be encouraged
within ourselves
as we consider
him.
Father we thank
you for this
time that we
have spent
this morning.
We thank you
for all that
the Lord Jesus
means to us.
And we thank
you for we
ask his things
and we give
thanks in his
name.
Amen.